Dig into our Fairtrade Commitments during the World Fairtrade Challenge

May 11, 2018

Ben & Jerry's
On Our Fairtrade Commitment

Overview

At Ben & Jerry’s, we have a three-part Mission Statement and a Progressive Values Statement. Each compels our company to strive for a “sustainable corporate concept of linked prosperity.” What does that mean? It means that through our business decisions we strive to create economic opportunities for those who have been denied them and advance new economic models that include more people in the global economy. We believe that the Fairtrade model is one that is deeply aligned with our Mission, Values and Linked Prosperity business model.

What does Fairtrade mean for Ben & Jerry’s?

Fairtrade puts people first. It starts with the idea that we have an ethical responsibility to pay everyone in the global economy, especially farmers and farmworkers, fair prices and fair wages for the products they grow, harvest or make. Fair payments allow them to stay on their land, use environmentally responsible practices, invest in their communities, and build a hopeful future. Fairtrade celebrates the fact that, in the global economy, sometimes cooperation can deliver better outcomes than competition, for all players.

Ben & Jerry’s chose to partner with Fairtrade International because we believe that there is good alignment between its standards and Ben & Jerry’s three-part Mission, (Product, Economic, Social), which holds up our overarching business model of Linked Prosperity for stakeholders throughout our value chain.

What is Ben & Jerry’s doing in the Fairtrade world?

Ben & Jerry’s is committed to sourcing Fairtrade-certified ingredients where we can make an impact on smallholder farmer livelihoods. Our focus has been on our five key commodities: sugar, cocoa, coffee, vanilla, and bananas. We also have opportunities to source Fairtrade-certified nuts. Where possible, we seek to go beyond Fairtrade compliance in our supply chain. We aim to support smallholders in our supply chain as they build resilient and responsible businesses that create social, economic, and environmental benefits.

What is the Producer Development Initiative (PDI)?

The Producer Development Initiative (PDI) is a collaborative initiative between Ben & Jerry’s and Fairtrade International to identify where there are opportunities within the Fairtrade system to strengthen the model. The PDI deepens the impact of Ben & Jerry’s Fairtrade purchases by investing in these supply chains based on local needs, creating capacity-building programs, innovating company and supplier purchasing practices, and by using the company voice for industry change. This unique collaboration will enable smallholders to become better business partners and achieve measurable improvements towards sustainable livelihoods in agriculture. As our co-founder, Jerry Greenfield, has said, “everyone deserves their fair share.”

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About Ben & Jerry's

From a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont, to far-off places with names we sometimes mispronounce, the journey that began in 1978 with 2 guys and the ice cream business they built is as legendary as the ice cream is euphoric.

Ben & Jerry’s operates on a three-part mission that aims to create linked prosperity from everyone that’s connected to our business. From marriage equality to cow-friendly farming, there are many issues we hold close to our hearts.